June 10, 2018
WELCOME to the School s Out! Kids Triathlon! So as you can imagine, it s been an absolute crazy time for us. I want to again thank all the parents who called the School District to get this event back on track. As you can imagine, after canceling all our suppliers, we re working hard to replace them, and will do our very best to provide an awesome experience for your children. We canceled our volunteers too, so now many have other commitments. We could use your help to get spread the word for volunteers. This is a fantastic community and I have no doubt things will come together. PLEASE READ this with your racers. We spend a lot of time creating it and there s valuable information you both need to know to ensure everyone has an awesome experience! On behalf of my crew, THANK YOU again for your support and rallying behind KidzTri3. We are forever grateful and look forward to seeing your kidz on the race course! Kimberle Levin Founder & Race Director
Volunteers We LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS and our events would not be possible without them. Please have your racers thank our fabulous volunteers who get up really early and give their time so your kids enjoy their race experience! Volunteers Needed!!! As you know, we canceled our volunteers and are in desperate need to find more so your racers are safe throughout the course. You can share this link HERE or email Volunteer@KidzTri3.com. We also know students always need volunteer hours and they are welcomed to come out race weekend to get those hours in!
USA Triathlon Competitive Youth Rules KidzTri3 events are sanctioned by USA Triathlon (providers of insurance) and athletes must follow the Competitive Rules for Youth events, while at the race venue and on the race course. This is for the safety of all athletes! Click the link above and review these rules with your athlete before race weekend so they understand and are familiar with race conduct. We have many kidz race with us that also participate in different types of swimming, cycling and running events, and they need to understand the rules that will be enforced during a USA Triathlon Youth Age Group Event. We want your athlete s race experience to be a positive and fun experience, so PLEASE ensure you review the Youth Rules with them before race weekend, and have them attend an Athlete Meeting to ask questions before race day!
FREE Transition Practice Session Registered participants can join us at Simmons Elementary School for this FREE transition practice session before race weekend. Wednesday, June 6th 6:30pm This is a great opportunity for racers to learn what to do on race day and to learn how to transition speedy fast, mount and dismount their bike in/out of transition. This is what racers really need to practice so we invite you to attend! Your racer will need to bring: Bike, Helmet, Water Bottle, Sneakers, Socks, Goggles (if they wear them), small towel. We suggest they wear to practice what they will swim in, and if they want to put shorts/shirt over their swimsuit to ride and run, bring that too. We ll be practicing the whole transition process so they re comfortable on race day.
Event Schedule Saturday, June 9th (Simmons Elementary School) Sunday, June 10th (Simmons Elementary School)
Packet Pickup >> IMPORTANT << PARENT/GUARDIAN MUST ACCOMPANY ATHLETE TO PACKET PICKUP. NO EXCEPTIONS THIS IS A USA TRIATHLON RULE! THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION All KidzTri3 events are sanctioned by USA Triathlon (providers of insurance) and we are required to follow all sanction rules. The parent/guardian who accompanies the athlete to packet pickup will be required to show Picture Identification in order for the athlete to race. If the athlete is not with their parent/guardian and has come with friends who are racing, that athlete will not receive their race packet until their parent/guardian checks in with the athlete. Please do not put your child in an uncomfortable situation because we have to turn them away. We won t feel good about it and neither will they.
Racer Age Group Validation Unfortunately, over the years there have been several situations where an athlete s real birth year has not been entered during the registration process. Having older kids race in younger age groups, or younger kids racing in older age groups, is in violation of USA Triathlon s Competitive Rules, and is not safe for participants, and affects final results. An athlete s race age (their age on December 31 st ) determines what age group they will participate in, and your athlete is required to participate in the correct age group. You are REQUIRED to provide proof of your athlete s birth year in order to receive their race packet, so be sure to bring a copy of their BIRTH CERTIFICATE or PASSPORT.
Steps to Receive Race Packet 1) Bring YOUR racer with you. 2) Show YOUR picture identification (driver s license works). 3) Provide Your Racer s birth certificate/passport. 4) Show YOUR ATHLETE S USA Triathlon Annual Membership Card and photo school ID (if applicable). There are a few ways to show us proof of membership: 1) Show us the plastic membership card you received directly from USA Triathlon. 2) Download the USA Triathlon App from your app store, and show us your card on your smart phone (we suggest you do this before you come to the race venue, take a picture of it on your phone so you have it and don t need to rely on cell reception). 1) Print a temporary membership card from the USA Triathlon website www.usatriathlon.org and bring it with you.
Your Race Packet Contains Race Bib to be worn on the front of the athlete s shirt or on a race belt, while on the run course. There is a outlined box in the middle of the bib where you can write your racer s name (in big letters so we can see it!). They can also decorate their bib, so let s see some fancy race bibs on race day! Swim Cap If your athlete has a latex allergy, they can wear a silicon cap under the official race swim cap. They must wear this cap so we know what age group they are in. Timing Chip and Strap to be worn on either ankle during the entire race.
Your Race Packet Contains Two Colored Wristbands with your racer s bib number written on them. One is for the athlete and one is for their parent/guardian. WRISTBAND NOTE: Racer s must have their wristband on before entering Transition race morning and it must remain on until they have removed their belongings from Transition after the race. This identifies them as an official participant and allows them access to the Transition Area. The second wristband is for one parent/guardian to wear on race day which helps race management identify you as belonging to your racer. The parent/guardian with the matching wristband will be given access to Transition before and after the event to assist their racer in setting up and removing their belongings. If you do not have this wristband on, you will not be permitted access. This is for the safety of everyone. Thank you for your cooperation!
Age Group Color Codes At KidzTri3 events, every age group is assigned a specific color that allows our race crew and volunteers to know where your racer should be on the race course. At packet pickup your racer will receive a colored wristband, swim cap, and race bib number all of which are the assigned color for their age group. An athlete s race age (their age on December 31 st ) determines what age group they will participate in, as outlined in USA Triathlon s competitive rules.
MANDATORY Bike & Helmet Safety Inspection Safety is our FIRST priority! Your athlete must wear a bike helmet and ride a road worthy bike to participate. We REQUIRE all participants to have their bikes and helmets pass a safety inspection by a KidzTri3 Bike Shop Partner, prior to race day. This is to ensure your athlete s equipment is road worthy for the race, under USA Triathlon guidelines. Our Bike Shop Partners are provided with special waterproof race stickers they will place on both the bike and the helmet, when they pass inspection, and these stickers must be present for your athlete to enter Transition on race morning. If your athlete races several races with us during the year, they must have their bike inspected for each event. If for any reason, our Bike Shop Partner determines something needs to be repaired to pass the inspection, any costs associated with the repair is your sole responsibility and not the responsibility KidzTri3 or the Bike Shop. This is for your athlete s safety and the safety of other athletes on the race course. Your athlete s bike helmet must be CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Council) approved (there will be a sticker inside the helmet) and fits them in accordance with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration guidelines. If the helmet is not CPSC approved and/or does not fit them properly in accordance to the NHTSA s guidelines, another helmet must be presented for inspection or a new one purchased that meets these guidelines. NO STICKER = NO RACE, NO EXCEPTIONS!
Bike Shop Partners for School s Out! Kids Triathlon Keswick Cycle 408 N Easton Road, Glenside, PA 19038 (215) 885-7433 You can visit the Bike Shops NOW to get everything ready to go before race weekend. Both your athlete s bike and helmet, AND YOUR ATHLETE, MUST be present for inspection! Bike/Helmet Inspections at Race Venue >> June 9th, 2-5pm Keswick Cycle will be at the race venue during packet pickup for last chance bike/helmet inspections. We encourage you to get your racer s equipment inspected prior to June 9th to avoid long lines. There are NO equipment checks Race Morning ~ IMPORTANT ~ If your athlete does not have an official race sticker on their bike or helmet when they arrive race morning, THEY WILL NOT RACE! NO Sticker = NO Race, NO Exceptions! This is for the SAFETY of ALL Racers
Race Morning GPS Address: Simmons Elementary School, 411 Babylon Road, Horsham PA 19044 Transition Closes at 6:55am SHARP! Athletes must be at the race venue in time to have their Transition Area setup and ready to go when Transition closes. If your athlete s transition area is not setup by 6:55am, THEY WILL NOT RACE NO EXCEPTIONS!
Race Morning Parking There is NO PARKING on the Simmons Elementary School campus. Parking is available in the Hatboro-Horsham High School parking lot closest to the front of the main high school entrance. Parking is also available across the street from Simmons Elementary School in Babylon Corporate Park. However, DO NOT PARK in the lot for Bounce U! We need to be good community citizens and leave that lot open for their customers. Parking volunteers will direct you to the proper parking locations. They have been given specific instructions on where you are permitted to park. Your cooperation is appreciated!
Race Day Checklist o Towel (to put your racer s stuff on for the race bike helmet, sneakers, etc.) o Goggles (optional) o Swimsuit o Swim Cap o Race Bib o Socks o Bicycle o Helmet o Sneakers o Water bottle o Dry clothes for after the race o Sunglasses (if you wear them) o Sunscreen o Don t forget a Big Smile! Triathletes DO NOT CHANGE CLOTHES during the race; therefore, they need to come to the race site in their swim suit and be prepared to remain in their swim suit the entire race. Torsos MUST BE COVERED on all athletes during the bike and run portions of the event and across the finish line. It s an athlete s individual preference what clothing they race in but Remember TORSOS MUST BE COVERED once you leave transition and onto the bike/run courses! If your athlete has a zipped trisuit, it must be zipped!
Race Morning Instructions To enter Transition, your Racer MUST: 1. Be wearing their race wristband 2. Be body marked (look for volunteers outside of transition with markers) 3. Have official race inspection stickers on their bike and helmet 4. Have any other personal gear they will use during the race (water bottle, towel, goggles, socks, sneakers, shorts, shirt, etc.) 5. Be ready to have lots of FUN!!!!! Body marking will take place race morning at the entrance to transition. An athlete s race number will be marked on each arm and their race age on their left calf (their actual age on December 31 st ). Please do not apply sunscreen or lotion of any kind until after your athlete has been body marked. Please do not have your athletes bring chairs, buckets, crates, and other stuff that takes up room in Transition. It is not needed and we will have them remove it. Have your athlete attend one of our Transition Clinics on Saturday and learn how to setup their Transition area and transition quickly between each race segment speedy fast!
Race Morning Transition Area Setup Athletes will rack their bikes on Sunday morning. There will be no overnight storage of bikes or other race equipment. Each athlete will have their own transition area where they will setup their race stuff. One parent, with an official race band, is permitted in transition for athletes in the Purple, Blue, Green, Orange and Yellow age groups, to assist with setup; however, once transition closes, no one other than athletes will be permitted in transition (unless your racer is in the Buddy Group and you are their Wingman). Race Buddy s Wingmen (16 years or older) MUST accompany their athlete during the entire event. They will be permitted on the pool deck and traverse the entire course together. KidzTri3 does not provide wingmen so a parent, older sibling, etc., can be a buddy. Wingmen will receive a wristband during packet pickup they must wear to enter/exit transition during the race. Athletes can walk or run their bikes in or out of the Transition Area. There is NO RIDING in the Transition Area.
ABSOLUTELY NO PARENTS ARE PERMITTED IN TRANSITION DURING THE RACE (EXCEPT FOR THE BUDDY GROUP) This is for the safety of all athletes THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION!
Bike Racking We are excited to introduce all our racers this year in the Blue, Green, Orange, Yellow & Pink Age Groups to real triathlon racking! The Purple division will have a transition spot, where they can use their kickstand or lay they bike on the ground (chain side up!). To Rack Your Bike >> Hook the front nose of the bike seat over the rack so that the rear wheel is elevated and the front of the seat is facing you. Some bikes are not able to be racked and in youth racing, they are permitted to place their bike under the rack in their assigned spot and use the kickstand. Place personal items on the ground next to the right side of the down tirel (as you re facing the bike and rack). Your athlete s transition real estate is from the rack s top bar to their front tire. We do not permit balloons or anything that is perceived dangerous, in transition as personal location markers. If you put them there, they will be removed.
Race Start Order The oldest age group will start first, and each age group will start in descending order thereafter. Course Swim Course Bike Course Run Course 13 15 Age Group 11 12 Age Group 9 10 Age Group 7 8 Age Group 5 6 Age Group 3 6 Buddy Group
Race Course Left Turn 7-8 & 9-10 AGs Right Turn 11-12 & 13-15 AGs Turnaround at Playground 5-6 AG Left Turn at Bike In 5-6 Buddy Group 5-6 AG & Buddy Group = ¼ Mile 7-8 AG = ½ Mile 9-10 AG = ½ Mile 11-12 AG = ¾ Mile 13-15 AG = 1 Mile
The Swim Only racers that are registered participants in the Buddy Group, can use flotation devices such as puddle jumpers and vests. In triathlon, we swim serpentine style for pool swims. This means racers will jump in the water (no diving), swim to the end of the lane, touch the wall, go under the lane line, touch the wall and swim the next length of the pool. This is repeated depending on the age group swim distance. There are NO FLIP TURNS in triathlon racing. We will review this several times before racers jump in the water, so no worries if they forget before race day. Racers can do any swim stroke they are comfortable with, except butterfly. If they struggle in the water, we will tell them to turn on their back, kick a little, rest their arms, catch their breath and continue swimming when they re ready. This is something you may want to practice with them before race weekend. Racers can also stop, rest on the swim lane line or side of the pool, and then continue when they re ready. They just cannot move themselves along advancing on the course without swimming. If we see them continuing to struggle, we ll take them out of the water, but they can continue the race. Sometimes this happens so mom and dad, so don t panic we ve got it covered!
The Swim Cont d. Racers that are on swim teams (Winter/Spring 2018) will go into the water first. We will make an announcement before each age group start, for swim team athletes to come to the front of the group. This is for the safety of all athletes so that faster swimmers are not swimming over recreational swimmers. Remember, this event is chipped timed, so it doesn t matter when your athlete starts in their age group. HOWEVER, they MUST start with their age group! ~~IMPORTANT~~ Parents, family and fans are NOT PERMITTED on the pool deck at any time.
Bike Course Racers will come into transition from the swim, put on their socks (if they wear them), shoes, bike helmet, shorts and shirt (if they wear them over their bathing suit) and run their bike out of transition to the MOUNT line, right outside of transition, where they will get on their bike and ride their prescribed course distance. It is YOUR athlete s responsibility to know the course. We will have our crew and volunteers out along the course, however, if they cut the course, they will be disqualified.
Race Day Familiarization Help When you arrive at the race venue, look for these flags. The SWIM flag is located where you can gain access to the pool area. The BIKE and RUN flags are where racers will exit transition during the race. Please familiarize your athletes with these flags and it will help them know where to go when transitioning to the next leg of the race.
Timing & Results TIMING Racers must use the chip provided in their race packet. We will post manual unofficial results on our results board at the race venue during the event. A link to the official results and will be emailed to all race participants within 24 hours. TIMING CHIPS Your timing chip should be fastened to your ankle (doesn t matter which one) using the strap provided in your race packet. It must be worn at all times while racing to record your race times, and will be removed by a volunteer at the finish line. The chip is not yours to keep. Athletes who fail to return their loaned timing chip will be charged $10.00. If you lose your chip during the event, please see a member of the KidzTri3 staff for replacement. DROPPING OUT If your athlete drops out of the race YOU MUST NOTIFY RACE MANAGEMENT and return their timing chip at the finish line. We need to account for each athlete, and failure to report an athlete that has dropped, can result in possible suspension from USA Triathlon. It s important we know where your athlete is at all times when they re racing.
Family, Friends & Fans Please be SUPPORTIVE of your athlete and all the other athletes too! For many of these kidz, this is the first time they have ever participated in an event like this. We re here to have fun and want your kidz to continue in the sport and stay active, so let s ensure we all provide them with a positive experience! Good sportsmanship is something we expect from our athletes and their family, friends and fans. Here are some tips to enjoy watching the event Signs Make signs for your athlete and show them support! Noise Makers bring your cow bells and anything else that makes A LOT OF NOISE!! The kidz LOVE IT! Race Course We ask that you not follow your athlete on any part of the course. This is for the safety of all athletes. Finish Line A great way to support all the kidz participating on race day is to have your kidz, once they finish their race, hang around the finish line area and cheer on their fellow athletes as they come across the finish line! Now that s sportsmanship! This is a USAT sanctioned event and no outside assistance by anyone other than race management or volunteers is permitted during any portion of the event. PLEASE do not hand ANYTHING or take ANYTHING from your athlete during the race.
Inclement Weather Policy There is NO rain date. We race rain or shine! In the case of inclement weather, race management reserves the right to alter/modify the race/race course to address safety concerns. In the case of a Natural Disaster/Local Incident/Terrorist Act, there will be No Refunds of race entry fees. Each athlete must accept any such risk of their entry fee. Monies collected are used to develop and produce the event, including all race supplies, staffing and administration. We pledge to make every effort to produce a fair, safe and exciting event. Any decision made to go forth with the race is based on the overall event/race course safety, and is made in concert with local risk management, police, fire & rescue, and medical personnel.
Questions? We know many families are new to triathlon so if you have any questions, and yes we mean ANY questions, please send us an email. We want you to be comfortable with everything in this Guide and if anything is unclear, just ask! Info@KidzTri3.com
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